Asteroid Nearly Hits Earth

NASA reports that an asteroid just missed the earth's surface last week.

The newly discovered asteroid known as 2009 VA passed about 8,700 miles from Earth on Nov. 6, according to NASA's Near Earth Object Program. The Daily Mail reports that astronomers spotted the asteroid only 15 hours before it whizzed by.

But even if the 23-foot wide asteroid had come toward Earth, the Daily Mail writes that it would have likely burned up in the atmosphere.

2009 VA's near collision is the third closest an asteroid has come to hitting the earth. NASA said that the two other near-misses include a 1-meter-sized asteroid called 2008 TS26, which passed within 3,820 miles from Earth's surface on Oct. 9, 2008, and the 7-meter-sized asteroid 2004 FU 162 that passed within 4,060 miles on March 31, 2004. NASA said on average, objects the size of 2009 VA pass this close about twice a year and impact Earth once every 5 years.

In March scientists tracked an asteroid from space to where it hit Earth and recovered pieces from it for study. Asteroids allow scientists to learn about the early solar system because they are among the oldest objects in the universe.